Alleged Copper Thief Arrested

LONGVIEW — Longview police arrest an alleged copper thief. On Monday, according to a police report, Officer Kerry Higginbotham noticed a suspicious vehicle in the woods in the 1600 Block of Osborne Street. When he got out of the car to investigate further he noticed a large amount of copper wire lying on the ground outside Happiness Hill Daycare. He could see a blue Jeep Cherokee in the woods and found more copper wire, and other tools used to remove copper wire, inside the Jeep.

While Officer Higginbotham was near the daycare he heard the Jeep start up. He ran after the Jeep, and the driver of the Jeep continued to flee from the scene. The driver turned onto a dead end street and began to back up attempting to continue to flee from the officer. Finally, police say, Officer Higginbotham was able to get the driver to stop the vehicle and he was taken into custody without further incident. The suspect was identified as Harrell Edward Johnson, 42, of Gladewater. Johnson was charged with theft of material 50% copper and evading arrest in a motor vehicle.